One of South Africa’s most successful jockey-trainer combinations of recent years has been dissolved following the decision of KZN-based Anthony Delpech to sever his informal commitments to the Mike de Kock yard and go it alone as a freelance.
Anthony Delpech aboard 2011 July winner Igugu, with Diane and Mike de Kock
The Avontuur sponsored Delpech, who currently heads the national jockey log with a 21% win strike-rate, rode the first of his three Vodacom Durban July winners for De Kock in 2004 on Greys Inn, then on Bold Silvano in 2010 and followed up the very next year with the brilliant filly Igugu.
A multiple SA champion, Delpech, who celebrates his 47th birthday on Wednesday 10 February, still holds the joint all-time record of 4 winners in the great race with ‘Tiger’ Wright and Anton Marcus.
He has ridden countless group winners over the years for De Kock and continues to churn out the winners in KZN and Gauteng.
Delpech has matured as a jockey over the past decade and his experience in countries such as Mauritius, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong and Japan, where he rode with much success, has stood him in good stead.
One of his greatest moments abroad came when he partnered the great Vengeance Of Rain to victory in the Dubai Sheema Classic for David Ferraris.
The association between De Kock and Delpech was an informal one that grew in stature over the years and the split is said to be an amicable one, with Delpech still likely to be offered rides by the powerful yard.
With Gavin Lerena Hong Kong bound, and Sean Cormack and Greg Cheyne sidelined, the top of the jockey tree is looking quite thin, with most of the top experienced riders already having stable commitments.
